pathogenic determinants
Last reviewed 01/2018
Bacillus anthracis has a number of pathogenic determinants:
- toxins: it produces an extracellular toxin which is lethal to experimental animals. It consists of three components:
- oedema factor; has adenylate cyclase activity
- protective antigen; antibody raised to this responsible for acquired immunity
- lethal factor
- exoenzymes
- colonization factors
- structural adaptations e.g. antiphagocytic capsule composed of poly-D-glutamate